Property in Penang

Penang, the Pearl of the Orient, has been flourishing since it was given to Francis Light by the Sultan of Kedah in 1786. Its strategic location of being an island acts as a suitable entreport for the ships entering or leaving the north Straits of Malacca.

Other than its economic virtue, tourism is also a main income earner, with famous landmarks, historical buildings and its natural beauty of rainforest, hilly terrain and beautiful beaches.

Real estate, landed property, condominiums, shop lots and also industrial premises grow like mushrooms (or cabbage, as we say in Dutch), aided by favorable state government policy. There is a Silicon Valley in Penang albeit a in a smaller scale. A lot of American, Japanese and Taiwanese semiconductor companies invest in manufacturing and R&D infrastructure in the Free Industrial Zone since the 1970's.

Internationally accessible

Yes, Penang also has an international airport. With the second bridge to the mainland now being built, the island is more accessible than ever. In order to solve the traffic situation, the outer ring roads are being planned, together with a monorail project in Georgetown city. It is also good to know that the public transportation is also being improved by the introduction of Rapid Penang public bus service.

Penang is connected with Kuala Lumpur and Singapore through the North-South Motorway. The motorway continues north to Thailand. Public service by bus and train through Malaysia are well served from Butterworth, right at the ferry station. You will find regular busses to all main destinations in Malaysia and trains to Kuala Lumpur. The overnight train to Bangkok starts in Butterworth daily at 2.20pm arriving in Bangkok the next morning.

Prices

Location and price, those two subjects always come up when buying something. Fair enough. I have good news for you. Penang is a unique island and, even to my surprise, a lot cheaper then other areas in Asia. Compare price quality in property and real estate in Penang with Hong Kong and Singapore and you find the prices up to SIX times cheaper.

Even for apartments in hotspot Thailand, Indonesia or the Philippines are about THREE times more expensive then similar property and apartments in Penang. True, some areas in Malaysia, think about Seri Manjung, (see our property and real estate pages for Lumut and Seri Manjung) are even cheaper (again, compare price and quality!)

Facilities

As you can expect Penang, with it's growing economic international status all modern facilities are available.

From international schools, top notch private hospitals, a world class golf course, shopping malls with designer goods, five star hotels, resorts, a turf club and also a marina with a yacht club. Where else in Malaysia would you find all of these facilities within an hour's drive?

Away from the crowds, back into nature

It is amazing such a small island can house all of the above and yet, still has green zone for designated parks and also nature trails. The Botanical Garden with its old trees and endangered species welcomes you to enjoy its tranquility. Teluk Bahang reservoir is also such a place. Even though the lake is man-made, its beauty is staggering. Penang Hill, with its unique funiculars trains is also a world of its own.

For cycling enthusiast, Penang offers quite an interesting challenge too. With a top notch bicycle shop in the heart of Georgetown, cyclist, local and foreign are served with the best quality service and material.

And in case you just want to sit and enjoy a good coffee, especially Penang has very atmospheric kopi tiam shops, (more about kopi tiam here)

Culture

Of all destinations in Malaysia, Penang has the most colorful mix of people. It has certainly the largest Indian and Chinese population of all states, which results in a range of festivals in and around the temples, all year around with highlights as Thaipusam, Chinese New Year, the Nine Emperor Gods Festival and others. The diversity of local culture with multi-religious festivals are held all year round.

Penang is also world famous for its local food! A lot of people come to Penang regularly just to eat! We could easily set up a separate website about the Penang food ALONE. Competition is fierce between the hawkers and the restaurant and the customers are the winners. Few places in my journeys I have visited where the food was that good and that cheap.

Property in Penang

Whatever your heart desires, most likely Penang would have it. So, why not invest in some property in Penang? The price is still 30% lower than in other countries in the region with the same qualities. Prudent investment made in Penang is guaranteed to pay itself back many times over.

So, now you have a slight idea what Penang offers. It's time to look what kind of property Penang still has available. Are you looking for a piece of land overlooking the sea in Batu Ferringhi area? We have it. Or, do you fancy a piece of 22 acres real estate already approved for development including a golf course? We have it too.

Otherwise, for smaller investors, we do have countless apartments, condominiums and also bungalows for sale. Most of them have freehold status. So, just let us know what your preference is. We would try our very best to accommodate you. Enquiries for Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) applicants are also very much welcome. See for more info about MM2H our retire in Malaysia page

Contact us for more about property in Penang but also in Lumut, Seri Manjung and other areas.

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